The Name Challenge

By Great Israel

Naming is a common human phenomenon and a part of Biblical narrative.It is a known fact that there is power in naming things. Therefore, things must be rigthly named. You are like the name you bear, because name confers identity, describes character and communicates destiny. What name do you bear ? What purpose does that name serve? Can your name injure others? How does your name affects your relationship with God? The Name Challenge provides the needed insight.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Great Israel
• Release date: Aug 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393074663

Book preview

THE VISION

To ensure Zech. 13 : 2 becomes a reality in every land and nation And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembered, and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the Land.

DEDICATION

To all those who will work tirelessly to give effect to Zech 13 : 2 in every land and nation under heaven.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

My profound and sincere thanks goes to the Chairman - Task Force Against Idol Worship and Human Sacrifice, Ezinna Daniel N. Onwukwe Ph.D for his unflinching support, love and encouragement in the execution of this project.

Special thanks to the multitude of friends and family members whose lives have contributed to mine.

TABLE OF CONTENT

The Vision .. .. .. .. .. .. iii

Dedication  .. .. .. .. .. .. vii

Acknowledgment  .. .. .. .. viii

Part I : What God commanded us to do, all our days  on earth . ... and destroy the names of them   out of that place   ...  ..  1

Part II: 

You and Mystery Babylon  .. .. 22

Part III: 

Idolatrous Names  .. .. .. 51

- Understanding the perfect will of God

I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him

Deut. 18:18-19.

WHAT GOD COMMANDED US TO DO, ALL OUR DAYS ON EARTH.

...and destroy the names of them out of that place

God wants His children to perfectly understand what He is saying and what He wants from them in obedience to His command. Therefore, He always speaks in plain language. Take a look at this word of God:

These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth... And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, ... and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods and destroy the names of them out of that place (see Deut. 12:13).

To help the Igbos and the human family to understand what is at stake, let me give one example from the Bible. Three men, namely: Korah, Dathan and Abiram rose up against Moses, and God's anger came upon them and their portion. God told Moses, Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment... speak unto the congregation saying, get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan and Abiram and Moses rose up and went... And he spoke unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins (Numbers 16:21-26).

God never explained to all Israel why He gave such warning. He also did not explain to them the high price they would pay if they disobeyed Him. What happened next?

And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah and all their goods (Numbers 16:32).

If we know the number of people that die yearly as a result of our collective rebellion to the command of God in Deut. 12:1-3, it is heartbreaking. Very simple instruction and it came in plain language. The first thing you do in a land with idols and images is to destroy them and more importantly, their names also must be destroyed. This is a law you must observe, to do all your days on earth. Every Christian should make effort to find out why God gave this type of command.

What is it that makes the name of an idol very dangerous? Let us look at Exodus 23:13 in different versions of the Bible:

And in all things I have said unto you be circumspect and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth (KJV).

Listen to everything that I, the LORD have said to you. Do not pray to other gods; do not even mention their names (GNB).

Be sure to obey all of these instructions, and remember – never mention the name of any other god (TLB).

Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips (NIV).

Thus, God told His children, Take the pain to obey me in everything. You must not at any time mention the names of other gods. You must not allow such names to be heard out of your mouth. Every member of the human family can again see that this instruction came to us in a very simple and plain language. If I may ask, who will ever accept to obey God? Why will some of those seen in churches on Sunday live daily in utter disregard for the commands of God? Jesus Christ said: If you love me, keep my commandments. But, if we have taken the pain to find out why God is so concerned about the name of